US, Iran exchange fresh strikes as hopes for quick peace deal fade
TLE Desk: The United States and Iran launched fresh attacks against each other on Thursday, escalating tensions in the Middle East and dimming prospects for a swift diplomatic settlement to the three-month conflict, reports AFP.
The latest round of tit-for-tat strikes marked the second consecutive day of military exchanges, with Iran targeting US facilities across the Gulf after American forces carried out new attacks on Iranian military sites.
The escalation pushed global oil prices higher amid concerns over regional stability and the security of energy supplies.
US President Donald Trump accused Tehran of delaying negotiations and abandoning an opportunity for a peace agreement.
“Iran keeps playing us for suckers,” Trump said on Wednesday, warning that the country would now “have to pay the price.”
Hours later, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had launched what it described as additional self-defence strikes against Iranian military infrastructure.
According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defence sites that allegedly posed threats to US forces and commercial shipping in regional waters.
Iranian media reported explosions in several southern locations, including Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Minab, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck US-linked targets at military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iranian state media also reported attacks on communications and radar installations associated with the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Authorities in Bahrain issued air raid alerts and advised residents to seek shelter, while Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace and activated air defence systems.
Iran also renewed warnings regarding the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
Iranian military officials claimed the waterway had effectively been closed and warned that vessels attempting to transit the strait could be targeted.
However, CENTCOM rejected those claims, stating that commercial shipping continued to move through the passage.
The renewed hostilities came as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signalled Washington’s readiness to combine military pressure with diplomacy.
“If President Trump requires it, we’ll negotiate with bombs, and we’re very good at it,” Hegseth said.
The latest escalation underscores the fragile state of regional security and raises fresh concerns about the potential for a broader conflict involving multiple countries across the Gulf.
